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Magic
Summary Magic is the name given to the various supernatural phenomena found throughout the landscapes, animals, and cultures of Unonia. However, it is most often used to refer to the reality bending feats of spell-casters, a title held by few people across the realm. Despite this, whispers of magic can be seen much more commonly if one knows what to look for. From the fortune tellers of the crowded streets of Alflow with their knick-knacks and charms, to the high-born scholars of Frysta and their tomes and incantations, to the priests of the Great Monastery of Uria and their enchanting hymns, magic takes countless forms for countless uses. Its true nature however, is a mystery linked to the spiritual realm, and to the crystal shards seen in the possession of only the world's most prolific magic users. Mechanics The actual workings of magic are entirely unknown to the peoples of Unonia, lost to time several ages past. In their effort to reclaim this lost knowledge, the various cultures spread across the world have come to many different conclusions on why this phenomena exists, and how they can utilise it. However, this was once second nature to every human and every living thing in Unonia. Deep within the Frystan Royal Archive remains the work of a brilliant scholar, who unravelled these truths and rose beyond them, leaving these secrets hidden away within moth eaten tomes. In truth, historians of these archives have occasionally unearthed these notes, and simply disregarded them as another theory. They are not. The Spirit World There exists a realm different to our own, completely incomprehensible to the human mind yet unavoidably linked with it. A parallel world, made up of the primal forces that exist as the beating heart of all physical matter, and, when it comes to humans and other living things, it is our life force. And although to the human mind it is but a swirling mass of power and energy, there is always a singular pinprick of light within that incomprehensible darkness that we seem to understand without even thinking, that we reach out to. That is, as many religions of Unonia have so described it, our soul. Our burning life force. However, this is not a realm we can travel to, nor is our spirit something we can grasp. It is like looking at your reflection in a pond. Undeniably there, and undeniably you, but reach out and you will find only water, slipping through your fingers. But, if one were to remove the ripples from that pond, stare into their own piercing eyes, and pull their reflection through? That is what humans call magic. The spiritual realm is by its very nature amorphous and ever changing: restrictive concepts like physical matter and the flow of time mean little in that world. A spirit is by no means constrained to these rules, even brought to our own plane temporarily. By bringing your spirit to our world, you can use it to interact with the physical world according to it's rules, and it is free to re-shape our reality as if it were wet clay. In reality, it stretches the limits of human strength to drag even a fragment of your spirit to the physical realm. Even the smallest fragment however can achieve incredible things. It is unravelling this particular process that has fascinated scholars and religions across Unonia. Spell-casting In a practical sense, drawing your spirit into this world requires naught but strength of will and clarity of purpose. If one understands themselves and their own desires they can seek out their spirit through the faint connection of our worlds, and with sheer mental fortitude, bring it through. Once again however, this feat exceeds the limits of almost all human beings that have existed. The human mind is muddled and brittle, and truly understanding yourself, who you are, what you want, and having the drive to carry through, is incredibly rare. Luckily, living creatures do not give up so easily, and if internal fortification is not within their grasp, there are techniques to assist. This is usually done through the use of a Focus. Foci A Focus is a tool used to literally focus the mind of the user, and more easily call upon their spirit to use magic. Take for example the grimoires of Frystan mages, and the incantions inscribed within. Through intense study of these texts, they learn specific spells and what they achieve. For example, were a mage to study a spell that created flame, by reciting the requisite words and channelling their energy through the books pages, they would focus their will on carrying out said spell, and thus create flame. Of course magic is by no means so restrictive, but in studying such limited spells, it pinpoints the desired result and prevents the mind from wandering. The term Focus was created to these grimoires specifically, but countless objects and techniques can act as a Focus: crystal balls, herbs, wands, song, dance, hand gestures, draughts, clothing, all serve a potential spell-caster in focusing their mind and spirit. One object however, outshines every other Focus in existence in the power it grants its user. The greatest mages in history have all been in possession of a World Shard, crystals that broke from the great divine crystal that was created by the gods to connect the spiritual and physical realms. Unlike a regular Focus, a World Shard does not simply pry open a peep-hole to the spiritual world, it throws the doors open. Such power is truly terrifying, but luckily very few exist, let alone within human hands, and the power it would take to utilise a Shard's true potential would very likely result in death. Drawbacks One's spirit is their life-force, their reflection, and as such even if one were successful in spell-casting, there remains strict limits. The further one seeks to bend the laws of our physical existence, the greater strain it puts on your spirit, and in turn, on your mind and body. For most mages, casting even the simplest spell takes time, training, and effort, and in accomplishing minor magical feats have very little to fear in this regard other than a headache or fatigue. Those few who dedicate their lives to the use of magic, and delve into arcane secrets or incredible displays of strength, risk incredible mental and physical damage to themselves without the proper resilience and skill. Schools of Magic Although magic is a force only limited by ones imagination, various different methods to utilise it are spread throughout Unonia. Perhaps even calling these "schools" would be inaccurate, as very few are official and monitored structures, and are more often aspects of culture that have grown naturally alongside their local context. Witches These magic users of eastern Algarath are held in very low regard, and the nobility maintain the belief that they are nothing more than tricksters and swindlers. Originating in the trading port capital Alflow, their techniques seem to have been drawn from their interactions with the countless different cultures that pass through the city. As such, their magic often focuses on quantity over quality, and the use of many different components as foci. With such unrefined methods they are often unable to use complex magic, leading to vague divination and flashy yet impractical spell-casting. Many witches are incapable of any magic whatsoever, but if one knows who to trust, you can find that their potion-brewing skills are second to none. Warmages In the days of Alflow's insurrection against Frysta, one of the key factors that led to their eventual independence was the betrayal of several opportunistic royal mages. Unhappy with their role as advisors, they carried out impossible schemes with their skills, and when the war of independence broke out, used magic on the front lines for the first time in centuries, leading to their title 'warmage'. Although Frysta remained the superior military force, their skills brought such devastation on their enemies that Frysta relinquished territory to avoid further bloodshed. When their new nation was established, these warmages were granted nobility and significant territory as thanks. These families would eventually descend down to several of the current noble houses, although much of their knowledge of magic, and most of their world shards, have been lost. Scholars When one thinks of magic users, one thinks of the scholars of Frysta. The royal archives hold the collected knowledge of centuries, and many learned people can be found pouring over the texts, as well as composing their own. Their magic is focused on intense study, and learning the incredibly specific outcomes and boundaries of spells allows them to focus their mind and achieve incredible results. Several locations of prime historical and magical significance have also led to the establishment of sister institutions, most primarily the university found deep within the mountains of Uria. Arbiters hey if you're here from twitter whats up bitch love you Divinus Despite their prominence in human cultures across Unonia, magic performed by priests is inherently an act of deception, whether or not the spell-casters are aware of it. Originating from the great monastery of Uria, this magic claims to draw its strength from the gods worshipped by the church. Although summoning is a form of magic that does indeed channel divinities, the field of Divinus in reality draws its powers from the combined faith of its users. Priest magic is performed almost entirely in large groups, and aided by the singing of hymns. With a largest enough crowd, all with the same belief and kept in sync by the harmony of music, this magic can no doubt create effects worthy of being called "miracles". Although this magic mostly manifests as light or healing magic, with the occasional oracular vision, it has, on occasion, been used to strike down enemies of the church. After all, "divine judgement" need not come from the divine. Beast Magic Despite its derogatory title, Beast Magic happens to be one of the most ancient forms of spell-casting. Although it is not as refined as other magic, it is significantly easier to use, and allows for much more flexibility. All beast magic draws from latent spiritual energy in the environment, often manifesting in elemental magic, but beyond that, "beast magic" is a rather reductive term. The three species found on Malgruus all conjure this energy through different foci, and for different purposes. The Reza for instance draw upon the countless intertwined energies of their rainforest home to enchant their labyrinths, while the Lin draw upon the heat of the plains to imbue themselves with strength in combat.